Monday, May 21, 2012

Not In My Name

I
have learned so much from living here in Armenia. For one thing, everything is
not as it seems. And everything is not black and white. Because I am against
something doesn’t mean I’m for that which is perceived as being the opposite of
the former. Because I stand by you doesn’t mean we agree on the same things.

And
yet, in many ways I am still very much naive. For instance, I did not honestly
believe that such a crowd could gather as they did today to protest the
Diversity March — widely interpreted and misrepresented as being a parade and a
gay parade at that but which was organized to mark the UN World Day for
Cultural Diversity — organized by PINK Armenia. The number of counter-demonstrators seemed to be at least four times as many as came out to march. Right away I
sensed their aggression, their penchance for violence and ignorant, bigoted
rhetoric. Right away I sense we should cancel the march — at least for our
safety.

I was among the group gathered in front of Tamamyan’s statue at the
Cascade. I approached a prominent representative of PINK Armenia and another
women’s rights activist and asked about organizers’ plans. We should decide how
we want to move forward, I said, sensing that a strategy wasn’t in place. I was
doubtful that the police who were there to guarantee our safety would, indeed,
do their job. And yet before anyone could say anything — actually, before
anyone could even think about what to do — the group of loud mostly (but not
only) boys chanting nationalist songs began to move in our direction. And
before you could blink an eye, a few of the activist-organizers held up their
signs and escorted — I would say rushed along — by police crossed the street.
And the march began.

A
big mistake.

Because
now we were no longer in control. Because from this point on it was the cops
telling us how to move, where to go, where to stand. We were being controlled
by the state apparatus. I don’t believe for a minute that the police actually
cared about our safety (in fact, a couple of marchers and supporters told me
afterwards the remarks they heard by police officers — remarks that sanctioned
the hate rhetoric chanted by protestors). Police follow orders from above — not
from activists (and least of all not by activists they perceive as gay or gay
allies).

And
we were merely pawns in their hands. We fell into their trap and played the
game by their rules. And by “they”, I don’t just mean the police. I mean the
state authorities all the way up to the president himself. Because you just
wait and see how the march that went so horribly wrong today will be used to
glorify the authorities. Oh, look how well our police force acted! Oh look how
well the state authorities are protecting LGBT rights — after all, they
sanctioned the gay parade (oh wait, I mean Diversity March) and did a good job
of protecting the marchers (well no one got badly hurt, right? A few skirmishes
here and there is to be expected, but nothing serious went down, right?).

At
one point in Charles Aznavour Square (just outside Moscow Cinema) we were
surrounded by police. Again they were there to “protect us.” And yet I felt
more afraid in that position than if I was standing outside the circle looking
in. Once police had formed a wall blocking protestors from marchers, we were
told to go into the Painters’ Union (where the march was expected to end as an
exhibit related to “diversity day” was organized). Again, for our safety. And
yet I felt more like an animal lured into its cage. Because now we were barricaded
in, while counter-demonstrators were outside, continuing to chant, sing and proclaim themselves
as defenders of the nation and “national values”.

At
that moment I was consumed by fear but looking back on it now (and after
speaking to good friends), I think, what a sad sight. Because those young
people gathered outside didn’t realize that they too were being used. That we were
all merely instruments in the hands of those with power who most likely were
using us to deflect from other, more state-level issues. Anyone who knows this
country knows there are other more pressing issues on the table right now than
all the uproar that one little Diversity March caused.

We should’ve been smarter. We should’ve taken a step back in order to
take two steps forward as a good friend of mine suggested, quoting Lenin. We
should’ve cancelled the march because by not doing so we relinquished control.
We let the police (and the state) set the rules of the game. And that’s a
dangerous place to be in.P.S. Click here for some great shots by the PanArmenian crew.